Judge, 1925-02-21 · page 10 of 36
Judge — February 21, 1925 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of This Judge Magazine Page This page satirizes **Al Jolson**, the famous blackface performer of the 1920s, through a mock diary of his daily routine as a "Mammy" singer. The satire targets both Jolson's commercial exploitation of racist entertainment and the infrastructure supporting it. Key targets of the satire: - **Blackface performance**: The diary mocks how Jolson built an entire industry around stereotypical depictions of African Americans, complete with banjos, watermelon, and Southern imagery. - **Manufactured authenticity**: The humor exposes how artificial the "authenticity" was—Jolson studies maps to learn about the South, hires staff to forge his autographs, and rejects song lyrics that sound *too* genuine. - **Commercial cynicism**: References to paying royalties to Russian-Jewish songwriters (likely Jolson's actual collaborators) while performing "Southern" material highlights the disconnect between performers and content. **"The Grab Bag"** cartoon below depicts a theatrical manager distributing money to eager performers—commenting on show business' transactional nature. This represents pre-Civil Rights era satirical criticism of racism in entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Diary of a “Mammy” Singer by Al Jolson 10 a.t.—Aroused by six black- face singers strumming on banjos. 10.30 a.M.—Breakfast on Virginia hai and buckwheat cakes. 11 a.m.—To gymnasium for set- ting-up exercises. Song writer plays new number while instructor demonstrates the exercise to go with it. 12 a.—R new “Mamm song writers with "songs. Reject those with excellent rhymes. Arrange for transportation of the writers “who want to go back to that dear old Dixie home.” Have assistants carry MANAGER The great lover. those who “ to “Ginny.” 1 p.a.—Lunch on watermelon sur- rounded by an artificial cotton fie! 2 p.M.—Pay royaltiesto" Mamm: song writers and arrange to have their “parents brought here from Russia. 3 r.m.—Study map of the South to familiarize self with several of the places mentioned in songs. $ pat.—Train new staff of expert penmnen in duplicating. signatuge in order to sign testimonials, photo- graphs and autographs. 5 p.t.—Order press agent to send reporters and photographers away. 5.10 pat.—Fire press agent for sending reporters and photographers away. “want to be carried back 6 p.st.—Visit the buyers at the local department stores to gather new jokes from the traveling salesmen. 7 p..—Spend time rearranging jokes so that they can be told before amixed audience. 7.30 pt.—Dine on Virginia ham and buckwheat Send ay- sistant to the len to sing. “Mammy” songs with view of diy- covering if acoustics are all right for performance. 8.30 r.at.—Final setting-up ex- ercises before going on. 9 to 11.30 p.st.—Perform, dislo- cating knee and spraining both arms. Lulled to sleep. by song while sitting on na comicbooks.com